The Gustavus Adolphus women’s golf team fired a first-round 343 and trails five-time defending champion St. Thomas by three strokes following the first day of the 2006 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championships held Saturday at Bunker Hills Golf Course. The Gusties have three individuals in the top ten after day one, led by Rachel Roberg (Rice Lake, Wis.), who is fourth after an 84.
St. Thomas’ Holly Noble shot a 3-over-par 76, the lone round in the 70s, to take a five-shot lead in the individual race. St. Thomas, winners of the last five conference team titles, shot a team total of 340 to stand in first play after the first day of this year’s three-round, 54-hole event. In addition to Noble’s 76, Laura Klatt shot a first-round 85 to stand in a tie for seventh place for the Tommies.
Gustavus, with three players among the top 10 golfers in the individual race, was second with a team total of 343. Besides Roberg, Kali Griggs (Fy., Burnsville, Minn.) shot an 85 to stand in a tie for seventh and Breanne Staples (Sr., Windom, Minn.) shot an 86 to stand in 10th. Sophomore Kimbra Kosak (Grand Rapids, Minn.) is in 13th after an 88, while Lauren Runsvold (So., Fargo, N.D.) fired a 92 to open play.
Macalester claimed two of the top three golfers in the individual race — Jordan Matheson in second with an 81 and Karla Leon in third place with an 83 — to stand in third place as a team with a 351 total.
Kassie Wells and Katrina Wood shot fourth-place rounds of 84 each to lead Carleton to fourth place in the team standings with a 358 total.
Afton Pender stands in a seventh-place tie with an 85 total to lead Concordia-Moorhead, which stands in fifth place with a 362 total. Following Concordia is St. Benedict (368), St. Olaf (375), St. Mary’s (376) and Augsburg (401).
The tournament, playing as a 54-hole event for the first time, continues on Sunday with second-round action. Tee times begin at 11:15 a.m. at Bunker Hills.